Bitcoin’s slide into the $60,000–$70,000 zone has lit up the usual “bottom” dashboards: extreme fear, washed-out positioning, and a cluster of indicators many traders treat as capitulation signals. But CryptoQuant contributor Mignolet says the market is missing the only thing that ultimately matters: a visible bid from dominant buyers. “What I emphasized in the $80K–$90K range still remains the same,” he wrote on Feb. 18. “Many indicators that market participants follow are pointing to a bottom and extreme fear. However, we do not see dominant players (whales) actually using this situation.” Mignolet’s core argument is simple: a bottom is not a sentiment reading, it’s an event and he doesn’t see the kind of forced absorption that typically marks a durable turn. “No matter how many indicators suggest a bottom, if there is no real buying force stepping in, we cannot know where the true bottom will be,” he said. “That is why I do not make price predictions lightly.” Related Reading: Revealed: The Biggest Bitcoin Holders Of 2026, According To Arkham Data He contrasted the current tape with the 2024 bull cycle, when fear could still dominate headlines even as large allocators quietly took the other side. In that period, he argues, the market had a measurable backstop: institutional demand showing up through US spot Bitcoin ETFs, specifically BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC, which “clearly absorbed the selling pressure.” The “most important point,” in his framing, is that the same mechanics aren’t showing up now. Mignolet says the accumulation pattern FBTC sustained for roughly a year has “already broken down,” and IBIT, previously described as a buffer during heavy sell pressure, is “now trending downward, unlike last year.” That shift is why he keeps the bottom call “on ice,” even if price ultimately holds the current region. In his view, Bitcoin remains in a phase where traders should “be cautious about further shocks,” and even a successful defense would likely require time before it can be treated as confirmed. When Everyone Reads The Same Bitcoin Data Beyond flow, Mignolet is also warning about a structural change in how market narratives form. He argues the proliferation of on-chain analytics has made the space more information-dense, but not necessarily more insightful and in some cases, more hazardous. Related Reading: Bitcoin Doesn’t Get A Macro ‘Bailout’ This Time: Alden Warns Of Gradual QE “The problem is that everyone looks at the same data and often reaches similar conclusions,” he wrote. “In many cases, even the people producing the data do not fully understand it. When information becomes too common, it pushes expectations in one direction.” He describes today’s well-packaged on-chain dashboards as “clean and convincing, almost like an answer sheet,” which can harden conviction precisely when flexibility is required. The downstream risk, he suggests, is that widespread agreement around “obvious” bottoms can keep investors anchored through deeper drawdowns or longer grind periods. In the near term, Mignolet’s base case is not a clean trend reversal but “sideways movement without a clear direction,” with enough volatility to create opportunities for short-term traders. For his own positioning, he described the period as “waiting,” stepping back to watch “liquidity flows, supply and demand conditions, and overall market sentiment,” then “reset” his framework. The bigger picture, he says, is still bearish and potentially more drawn out than he expected last year. His closing warning is that this down cycle is “unlikely to end lightly,” with the plausible outcomes being a larger-than-expected drop, a longer-than-expected sideways phase, or both. At press time, Bitcoin traded at $67,889. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Metaplanet CEO Simon Gerovich pushed back against online criticism of the company's transparency and bitcoin strategy.
Data shows the social media sentiment toward XRP has surged to a 5-week high even as mood around Bitcoin and Ethereum remains dull. XRP Positive/Negative Sentiment Has Shot Up Recently In a new post on X, analytics firm Santiment has talked about how XRP, Bitcoin, and Ethereum currently compare in terms of the Positive/Negative Sentiment. This indicator tells us about whether an asset is observing more bullish or bearish comments on the major social media platforms. The metric works by filtering social media posts/threads/messages for terms related to the cryptocurrency and putting them through a machine-learning model that separates between positive and negative sentiments. It then counts up the number of posts in each category and determines the ratio between them. Related Reading: Bitcoin Consolidating In A Triangle—Is A 15% Move Next? When the value of the Positive/Negative Sentiment is greater than 1, it means bullish comments outnumber the bearish ones. On the other hand, the indicator being under this level could indicate the dominance of a negative sentiment among social media users. Now, here is the chart shared by Santiment that shows the trend in the Positive/Negative Sentiment for three top cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin, XRP, and Ethereum. As displayed in the above graph, Bitcoin and Ethereum have both seen the Positive/Negative Sentiment decline to near-neutral levels recently. Bullish and bearish comments are almost exactly canceling out for the former with the metric sitting at 1.05, while the latter is seeing a slight dominance of positive sentiment with a value of 1.4. The analytics firm noted: Crypto markets have struggled to maintain momentum, and social data indicates there are far less bullish comments toward Bitcoin and Ethereum compared to last week. Meanwhile, the indicator has taken a completely different route for XRP. From the chart, it’s visible that the Positive/Negative Sentiment has recently witnessed a sharp rise for the digital asset ranked fourth by market cap. XRP has also struggled like the rest of the market recently, so what’s behind the divergence? According to Santiment, it’s likely to lie in the recent partnership expansion announcements. The wave of bullish comments over the last couple of days has pushed the Positive/Negative Sentiment to 2.35, the highest level in five weeks. If past pattern is to go by, though, this excitement around the asset may not necessarily translate to the cryptocurrency’s price. Related Reading: Bitcoin Bearish Momentum Losing Steam? Analyst Flags Key Metric Generally, digital asset markets tend to move in the direction that goes contrary to the expectations of the majority. In that view, Bitcoin and Ethereum with their relatively dull sentiments may be better positioned for a rebound than XRP. XRP Price At the time of writing, XRP is floating around $1.39, up around 5% in the last seven days. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
Reports say Goldman Sachs now holds a mix of crypto exposures that go beyond Bitcoin alone. Its chief executive, David Solomon, told an audience he owns a very small amount of Bitcoin while he watches how the market behaves. Related Reading: XRP On The Spotlight As Arizona Advances Landmark Digital Asset Bill That personal detail grabbed attention after investor Grant Cardone amplified the comment on social media, and it added another layer to what appears to be a deliberate, measured shift inside the firm. Token Holdings And Paper Losses Based on filings, Goldman Sach’s positions are spread across several major tokens. The firm shows exposure to about 13,740 Bitcoin held through US-listed spot ETFs, a stake worth roughly $920 million after a recent price slide. Ethereum accounts for about $1 billion of exposure. Smaller stakes in XRP and Solana come in at about $153 million and $108 million, respectively. David Solomon @GoldmanSachs just said at World Liberty Forum, “I’m still trying to figure out how Bitcoin behaves. I own a little bitcoin, very little.”@MarALago @worldlibertyfi pic.twitter.com/iepTMeE6lL — Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone) February 18, 2026 Altogether, crypto-linked ETF holdings add up to roughly $2.36 billion, according to the disclosure. These numbers mean the bank is carrying unrealized losses on some positions since prices fell sharply. Yet the holdings remain, which suggests an institutional view that does not chase every short-term move. Some of those choices were made after new spot ETF options launched for certain tokens, pushing the bank to broaden its lineup beyond Bitcoin and Ether. Exploring What Works Reports note that Goldman has also been quietly building out teams focused on tokenization, stablecoins, and other blockchain-based tools. Work on prediction markets and experiments with putting tokenized assets into parts of the balance sheet has been underway. Employees are testing ways these technologies might fit into existing services rather than upending them. The CEO’s phrasing was cautious. He said his firm is evaluating how these systems could be folded into core operations where they make sense, rather than rushing in just to be first. “I’m still trying to figure out how Bitcoin behaves. I own a little bitcoin, very little,” Solomon said. That tone lines up with a strategy of measured adoption — try, test, and integrate only when the fit is clear. A Public Signal With Private Limits World Liberty Forum provided the stage where Solomon shared his remarks, and the public nature of the comment matters. High-level executives admitting any personal crypto holdings is still newsworthy. It signals interest but not a full personal endorsement; he emphasized that his stake is small and that he remains in observation mode. Related Reading: Bitcoin’s Powerful Rally Signal Is Back — Is History About To Repeat? Regulatory And Market Context The disclosure also comes as lawmakers and regulators continue to shape rules that could affect how banks use crypto tools. Clearer rules in Washington could accelerate practical uses, or at least make trial programs easier to run. Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView
Michael Saylor keeps things upbeat. He told a TV interviewer that the current Bitcoin dip feels milder than past crashes and that a quicker rebound is likely. He even said, “Spring is coming, and Bitcoin is winning.” Related Reading: Ethereum Staking Reaches Historic Levels, Price Hovers Near $2K Bitcoin Institutional Support Strengthens Outlook According to Saylor, a big reason for his confidence is that banks and big firms are far more involved than they were a few years ago. Reports note fresh banking tools and credit networks aimed at crypto are drawing new capital in. US President Donald Trump was mentioned by the Strategy big boss as a political force friendly to Bitcoin — a line that will be picked over by both supporters and critics. We may be in the middle of a crypto winter, but spring is coming — and Bitcoin is winning. pic.twitter.com/jxvzK3XwSN — Michael Saylor (@saylor) February 17, 2026 Strategy’s Holdings And Price Math Strategy holds 714,644 BTC on its books, bought at an average near $76,056 each. At the moment, Bitcoin trades around $67,900. That gap matters. The roughly $49 billion value sitting in the vault is compared to a company market value that trades around $42.80 billion. Those raw numbers give weight to Saylor’s claim that the company can handle big swings. He went further, saying that even a fall to $8,000 would leave the holdings enough to cover outstanding debt. That is a strong statement. It was presented as reassurance to investors. Strategy’s Position And Risk Calculations Reports say Strategy plans to swap its convertible debt into stock within three to six years. The firm has also signaled it will buy more Bitcoin each quarter. How these moves play out depends on markets, financing terms, and timing. Some analysts think the company’s approach lowers short-term pressure on the share price. Others point out that keeping such a large crypto stash concentrates risk in volatile markets. Past Cycles Saylor compared the current episode to deeper downturns that came before. That comparison is useful but needs numbers to be fully judged. Historical drops in crypto have been steep at times, which is why claims of a milder slump invite scrutiny. Other investors look at on-chain flows, macro cash conditions, and bank behavior to decide whether this time is different. Right now, evidence of a fast, broad institutional inflow is mixed. Related Reading: Urgent Crypto Reform: Treasury Secretary Says The Clock Is Ticking Outlook And What Could Shift The Story Markets could swing on a few catalysts: changes in lending policy, moves by large funds, or fresh regulatory signals from US authorities. News or shocks could tilt sentiment quickly. Some market watchers look at 10-year trendlines for context, while others focus on shorter trading indicators. Either way, Saylor’s optimism is clearly tied to a long view and a confident read of current market structure. Featured image from Long Island Weight Loss Institute, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin price corrected gains and tested the $65,650 zone. BTC is now consolidating losses and might start a decent increase if it settles above $68,000. Bitcoin is struggling to recover losses and moving lower below $67,500. The price is trading below $67,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. There is a declining channel forming with resistance at $67,400 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair (data feed from Kraken). The pair might dip again if it trades below the $66,500 and $66,000 levels. Bitcoin Price Faces Tough Challenge Bitcoin price failed to remain stable above the $67,500 zone. BTC started a fresh decline and traded below the $67,200 support zone. There was a push below $67,000. The price even spiked below $66,800. A low was formed at $65,650, and the price is now correcting some losses. There was a move above the 50% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $68,418 swing high to the $65,650 low. Bitcoin is now trading below $67,500 and the 100 hourly simple moving average. If the price remains stable above $66,000, it could attempt a fresh increase. Immediate resistance is near the $67,400 level. There is also a declining channel forming with resistance at $67,400 on the hourly chart of the BTC/USD pair. It is close to the 61.8% Fib retracement level of the recent decline from the $68,418 swing high to the $65,650 low. The first key resistance is near the $68,000 level. A close above the $68,000 resistance might send the price further higher. In the stated case, the price could rise and test the $68,800 resistance. Any more gains might send the price toward the $69,500 level. The next barrier for the bulls could be $70,000 and $70,500. Another Decline In BTC? If Bitcoin fails to rise above the $68,000 resistance zone, it could start another decline. Immediate support is near the $66,000 level. The first major support is near the $65,650 level. The next support is now near the $65,050 zone. Any more losses might send the price toward the $64,500 support in the near term. The main support now sits at $63,800, below which BTC might struggle to recover in the near term. Technical indicators: Hourly MACD – The MACD is now losing pace in the bearish zone. Hourly RSI (Relative Strength Index) – The RSI for BTC/USD is now above the 50 level. Major Support Levels – $66,000, followed by $65,650. Major Resistance Levels – $67,400 and $68,000.
Ethereum’s technical structure has weakened further after slipping decisively below the $2,100 level, reinforcing short-term bearish pressure. However, while the breakdown raises the risk of a deeper downside, a repeating fractal pattern on the higher timeframe offers a potential glimmer of hope, suggesting that a larger breakout could still emerge if history rhymes. Key $2.3K–$2.1K Support Zone Lost According to Crypto Candy, Ethereum has decisively lost its key daily support zone between $2,300 and $2,100, closing firmly below it and confirming a structural breakdown. This area had previously acted as a strong demand region, repeatedly absorbing selling pressure. Its failure marks an important technical shift, suggesting that the broader market structure has weakened. Related Reading: Ethereum Price Stalls Under Resistance With Breakout Hopes Delayed With the breakdown confirmed, the former support zone has now flipped into a significant resistance area. ETH has already attempted to reclaim the $2,100–$2,300 range but has failed to regain acceptance above it. This rejection reinforces the idea that sellers are defending the level aggressively, keeping short-term momentum tilted to the downside. If bearish momentum continues to build, the next major support region to watch sits between $1,700 and $1,500. A move into this range would align with typical continuation behavior following a failed reclaim of broken support. For now, the bias remains bearish as long as Ethereum trades below the $2,300–$2,100 zone. Only a strong reclaim followed by sustained consolidation above that range would invalidate the downside scenario. Ethereum Fractal Structure Mirrors Pre-Rally Setup Providing a weekly Ethereum update, Trader Tardigrade pointed to a compelling fractal comparison that suggests a familiar structure may be unfolding. The expert’s analysis highlights the formation of a rectangular consolidation box, a setup that closely resembles the price behavior seen before Ethereum’s explosive rally in late 2025. Related Reading: Ethereum’s Leverage Reset Clears The Path For A Healthy Rebound – Analyst During that previous cycle, ETH spent weeks compressing within a clearly defined horizontal range, building energy before eventually breaking out with strong momentum. The current chart shows a nearly identical box pattern forming, positioned similarly within the broader ascending channel. The symmetry between the two structures strengthens the case that this may not be random consolidation, but rather a repeat of a larger cyclical pattern. If the fractal continues to play out as it did before, a decisive breakout above the current range could trigger a powerful upside expansion. Just as in 2025, the longer the price compresses within the box, the more aggressive the eventual move could become. A confirmed break and sustained acceptance above the range would be the key signal that Ethereum is transitioning from accumulation to markup once again. Featured image from iStock, chart from Tradingview.com
Bitcoin’s price action is struggling with bearish corrections, repeatedly failing to close daily trading sessions above $70,000. As it stands, Bitcoin is now moving in a tight range below $70,000, and crypto analysts are undecided on its next direction. Some see the current structure as a base for another push higher, but others warn that any bounce could invite new selling. Crypto analyst Sherlock is among the cautious voices, arguing on X that a rally to between $72,000 and $76,000 may not be a recovery but a kill zone for Bitcoin bulls. The $76,000 Breakeven Wall Crypto analyst Sherlock is of the notion that any Bitcoin price recovery to $76,000 from here might not actually be a good thing. Sherlock’s argument is based on the Bitcoin holdings of Strategy. At the time of writing, the company holds 714,644 BTC at an average cost basis of $76,052. That stash represents roughly 3.4% of the total Bitcoin supply that will ever exist. Related Reading: Extreme Bitcoin Shorts Could Predict A Bottom, Here’s The Significance Now that Bitcoin is trading around $68,000, Strategy’s position is significantly underwater, and the company is sitting at an estimated unrealized loss of about $5.7 billion at current prices. In the analyst’s view, every push to the $74,000 to $76,000 range brings this large concentration of supply closer to breakeven. Breakeven levels often act as selling zones. Based on that perspective, the $76,000 area could be risky because it brings Strategy’s position back to its average entry price, and many large holders might consider reducing exposure. That said, there is no indication that Strategy plans to sell. The company has repeatedly stated that it has no intention of offloading its Bitcoin and has even emphasized that its balance sheet could withstand a severe downturn, including a scenario where the Bitcoin price drops below $10,000. ETF Pressure And Bitcoin Cost Basis Sherlock also pointed to Spot Bitcoin ETFs as another source of pressure that might lead to a bull trap. As it stands, about 1.28 million BTC are currently held in these funds, with an estimated average entry price between $84,000 and $90,000. Related Reading: Could A Bitcoin Price Crash Below $10,000 Wipe Out Strategy? Saylor Shares What To Expect Since late 2025, these ETFs have recorded more than $6 billion in net outflows, and the Bitcoin price might face another pressure even if it reaches the average entry price. He also noted that about 63% of invested Bitcoin wealth has a cost basis above $88,000, meaning a large share of buyers in 2025 are sitting on losses, and a rally to their entry levels could also be a bull trap. Therefore, a climb into the $72,000 to $76,000 range could be a bull trap. If it doesn’t, then the next trap could be around $88,000. That said, if every breakeven level triggered selling, then Bitcoin might never form a bottom. At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $66,980. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
The Bitcoin’s recent pullback may look concerning on the surface, but according to Brian Armstrong, the move has more to do with the market psychology than with any deterioration in fundamentals. After a period of strong performance, shifting sentiment and broader market uncertainty are playing a larger role in BTC’s price movement than structural weaknesses within the network or its long-term value proposition. Why Bitcoin’s Core Strengths Remain Intact A crypto expert known as Walter Bloomberg on X has revealed that the Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong believes Bitcoin’s recent slide is temporary and is driven primarily by market psychology rather than weakening fundamentals. Related Reading: Standard Chartered Lowers Bitcoin Forecast: Predicts Price Dive To $50,000 Before Rebound Speaking to the Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) at the World Liberty Forum in Florida, Armstrong pushed back against the speculation linking the decline to potential Federal Reserve (Fed) leadership changes or emerging risks such as quantum computing. Instead, Armstrong explained that the move reflects investors locking in profits and reacting to what they believe others are thinking. He described the downturn as likely temporary, noting that Coinbase is repurchasing shares and buying more BTC at a lower price. Armstrong emphasized that crypto market cycles are normal, reiterating that BTC remains the best-performing asset of the past decade and that the company continues to focus on long-term growth. Is This The Early Stage Of Another Supply Shock? Bitcoin whales have accumulated more than 200,000 BTC despite the ongoing selling pressure. Analyst Darkfost highlighted that while whale inflows to exchanges have increased recently, their overall holdings have continued to grow. Thus, inflows typically reflect short-term behaviour and can generate immediate selling pressure. Related Reading: Bitcoin Whales Flood Binance As Correction Deepens: On-Chain Data Shows The chart below provides a medium-term perspective by tracking the evolution of the whale-held supply on a monthly average basis. After a sharp drop in this average to nearly -7% on December 15, whale behaviour appears to have shifted over the past month, with their holdings increasing by 3.4%. During this period, the BTC supply by whales grew from 2.9 million BTC to over 3.1 million BTC, representing an accumulation of more than 200,000 BTC. Meanwhile, the last time whale accumulation of this magnitude occurred was during the April 2025 market correction. At that time, this wave of accumulation had helped absorb selling pressure and supported the rally that pushed BTC from $76,000 to $126,000. However, with BTC still consolidating around 46% below its recent all-time high, the current level may be viewed as an attractive accumulation zone. Darkfost noted that it is not surprising to see some whales taking advantage of this opportunity. As selling pressure remains significant, this whale demand may not yet be sufficient on its own to fully counterbalance the broader market. Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com
Crypto expert Remi has raised the possibility that XRP could have a base price of $10,000. This came as the expert noted that the XRP Ledger (XRPL) could become the go-to network for tokenization, boosting XRP’s utility. How XRP Can Achieve A Base Price of $10,000 In an X post, Remi predicted that XRP could have a base price of $10,000. He suggested that this could happen if the altcoin has a “United States Crypto price Floor System.” Notably, he made this comment in reference to a report on the U.S. developing a critical minerals price floor system. Related Reading: Analyst Shares XRP Roadmap To $10,000: What Happens With Each Milestone? Remi suggested that this could also happen for XRP if the U.S. eventually considers it a very important asset. Meanwhile, the expert also noted that the XRP Ledger will tokenize gold and Bitcoin, which would also boost the altcoin’s utility and possibly contribute to the base case price of $10,000. In another X post, Remi declared that all the critical minerals will be tokenized on the XRPL with XRP as the bridge currency. He reiterated that the altcoin could reach $1,000, $10,000, and even $100,000 once these begin to happen on the XRPL. It is worth noting that the XRPL is already seeing a wave of tokenization of real-world assets (RWAs). Billiton Diamond and Ctrl Alt announced earlier this month that they had tokenized over $280 million of certified polished diamonds. Ripple also backed the deal, with the crypto firm providing custody services for this tokenization initiative. RWA.xyz data shows that the total tokenized assets on the XRPL are currently valued at $1.9 billion. The network ranks sixth among all networks in terms of tokenized RWAs. XRPL Gets New Upgrade The XRP Ledger has activated the Permissioned DEX, which enables compliant institutional trading. This is expected to further boost the network’s adoption, which is positive for XRP. Commenting on this development, expert X Finance Bull noted that regulated institutions can now trade on the network with vetted counterparties. Related Reading: Cup And Handle Pattern Puts XRP Price At $60 After Hitting Resistance He further remarked that this translates to compliant DeFi, on-chain order books, and KYC-gated trading. The expert also claimed that Ripple and its partner institutions have been waiting for this, and that the infrastructure is ready and the payment rails are open. X Finance Bull declared that this is how up to trillions of dollars will enter the XRP Ledger. He also mentioned that the CLARITY Act, being signed into law, will be the next bullish catalyst for XRP. Once that happens, he predicts that institutional inflows into the XRP ecosystem will increase. At the time of writing, the XRP price is trading at around $1.41, down over 4% in the last 24 hours, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Featured image from Adobe Stock, chart from Tradingview.com
Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, continued its price struggles as traders weighed two stress-tinged signals from the US financial ecosystem. This week, there was a sudden $18.5 billion Federal Reserve overnight repo operation, and Blue Owl Capital has decided to permanently halt redemptions from a retail-focused private credit fund. In another era, either […]
The post Bitcoin eyes new liquidity as the Fed’s $18.5 billion repo spike reignites money printer chatter appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Bitcoin (BTC) price has dropped 1.4% in the past 24 hours to trade at $66,414 on Thursday February 19, 2026. Massive liquidations persist, wiping out $201 million in the last 24 hours, with Bitcoin liquidations accounting for $58.98. The flagship coin has also revisted levels last seen in April 2025, just before it hit a …
Economist and longtime Bitcoin (BTC) critic Peter Schiff has issued a fresh warning to cryptocurrency investors, arguing that the world’s largest digital asset could face a steep decline if a key price level fails. Schiff Predicts 84% Bitcoin Crash In a Thursday social media post on X, Schiff said that a break below $50,000 would likely open the door to a much deeper selloff. “If Bitcoin breaks $50K, which looks likely, it seems highly likely it will at least test $20K,” he wrote. Related Reading: Revealed: The Biggest Bitcoin Holders Of 2026, According To Arkham Data A drop to that level, he noted, would represent an 84% fall from Bitcoin’s all‑time high of $126,000 reached last October. While acknowledging that Bitcoin has experienced similar collapses in the past, Schiff argued that the current environment is different. He pointed to what he described as unprecedented hype, higher leverage in the system, greater institutional ownership and a much larger overall market capitalization. “Sell Bitcoin now!” he urged. BTC ‘Not Fit’ As Reserve Asset Schiff, who has long championed gold as a superior store of value, has repeatedly questioned Bitcoin’s role in the global financial system. In a previous interview, he said BTC is unsuitable as a reserve asset for central banks, contending that its volatility would make it impractical to hold in large quantities without causing market instability. Related Reading: Goldman Sachs CEO Says US Must Codify How Crypto ‘Will Operate’ According to Schiff, although some sovereign wealth funds and governments have taken limited positions in Bitcoin‑related products, those allocations remain small and are often motivated by performance pressure rather than deep conviction. He has also expressed skepticism about the durability of institutional demand. Schiff predicted that professional investors’ interest in Bitcoin could wane over time and warned that more recent entrants to the market may ultimately suffer losses if prices retreat sharply. At the time of writing, the leading cryptocurrency is trading at $66,900, with the largest resistance level at $70,000 and support floors at $65,800 and $62,800, limiting additional losses in the near term. Featured image from OpenArt, chart from TradingView.com
Crypto markets may be setting up for a short-term bounce, according to market strategist Gareth Soloway. After weeks of pressure and sideways movement, charts for Bitcoin, Ethereum and XRP are showing patterns that traders often watch for possible upside moves. But this is not a call for new all-time highs. Instead, it is about short-term …
Bitcoin has been steadily pulling back after failing to hold above the $90,000 consolidation zone. Over the past few days, selling pressure has picked up, pushing the BTC price closer to an important support area. While the decline has been gradual rather than dramatic, the shift in momentum is noticeable, and short-term sentiment has turned …
The following article is adapted from The Block’s newsletter, The Daily, which comes out on weekday afternoons.
According to BitcoinTreasuries.net, American Bitcoin Corp now holds 6,039 BTC, placing the firm among the top 20 public corporate Bitcoin treasuries in the world. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation That number is big on its face. It also carries more questions than answers for anyone who follows both crypto and small-cap stocks. Fast Accumulation Through Mining And Purchases Reports note the company has been piling on coins by keeping what it mines and by buying on the open market. Blockchain trackers and industry write-ups say roughly 217 BTC were added over the course of January alone, a fast clip for a company that listed barely six months ago. Today we reached an incredible milestone for American Bitcoin — Crossing 6,000 BTC in under 6 months since our Nasdaq debut! Today is a testament to @ABTC execution which has build one of the fastest-growing Public Bitcoin reserves in the world, outpacing many established… pic.twitter.com/JNjYZfeajL — Eric Trump (@EricTrump) February 17, 2026 Eric Trump Celebrates Eric Trump broadcast the milestone on social media, framing it as proof the plan works and that the treasury build was rapid and deliberate. The message landed with fans. The rest of the market has been less kind. Shares have tumbled hard since the Nasdaq debut, with multiple reports showing equity losses in the area of 80% from early highs. A stock that drops this far while its balance sheet grows makes clear that ownership of Bitcoin alone has not calmed investor nerves. JUST IN: Trump family-backed #Bitcoin miner American Bitcoin Corp $ABTC increased its holdings by 196 BTC and now holds a total of 6,039 BTC. ????Bitcoin 100 Ranking: 17???? pic.twitter.com/ydp2wbN1Xn — BitcoinTreasuries.NET (@BTCtreasuries) February 17, 2026 How The Rank Compares To Others The firm now sits ahead of household names on the list, including GameStop and Gemini Space Station Inc in raw BTC held. That comparison grabs headlines. It also masks the difference between a company that treats Bitcoin as a treasury reserve versus firms that hold BTC as one of many assets. Political Branding Cuts Through The Noise The venture carries a clear political stamp, with ties to the family of US President Donald Trump. That connection brings attention and capital at times, and it draws scrutiny at others. For investors who prefer to keep politics off their balance sheets, the association will affect sentiment just as surely as quarterly numbers do. Related Reading: Bitcoin To Top $500,000 By 2029? Entrepreneur Makes Bold Call Reports say analysts have mixed views: some see a bet on Bitcoin’s next leg higher, others point to governance, execution risk, and thin market float. A firm that refuses to sell mined coins essentially doubles down on the coin’s future price. That can be wildly profitable in a rally. It can be brutal in a drawdown. The math is plain — holding inventory exposes the company to the same swings retail holders face, but with public shares amplifying the effects. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
Markets blinked hard this week. According to Checkonchain, a measure tied to recent Bitcoin buyers has dropped into extreme territory not seen since the late 2018 slump. Related Reading: XRP On The Spotlight As Arizona Advances Landmark Digital Asset Bill That metric compares where new buyers paid against price swings, and right now those who bought inside the last 155 days sit well below break-even on average. That creates stress. It can also mark a low if other pieces line up. Short-Term Holder Signal Flashes Again Reports say the Short-Term Holder Bollinger Band reading has pierced its lower band, a statistical cue that recent buyers are unusually underwater. In past cycles that kind of print arrived near major lows — a deep wash-out when selling activity peaked and then buying began to reclaim value. Realized losses among large short-term wallets have not exploded yet, which, based on reports from MatrixPort, hints that heavy hitters may be holding through the pullback rather than throwing in the towel. Reports note that a similar signal appeared before Bitcoin’s historic 1,900% rally from the late 2018 bottom to 2021. While past performance does not guarantee the same outcome, the comparison highlights how extreme stress among short-term holders has previously aligned with major long-term gains. ????Today’s #Matrixport Daily Chart – February 17, 2026 ⬇️ Bitcoin Sentiment Hits Extreme Lows ⁰— Durable Bottom Are Emerging? #Matrixport #Bitcoin #BTC #CryptoMarkets #MarketSentiment #FearAndGreed #RiskManagement #Volatility #CryptoResearch pic.twitter.com/WxJg3xrHSf — Matrixport Official (@Matrixport_EN) February 17, 2026 Price Action And Market Moves Price behavior has been messy. Bitcoin slipped under $67,000–$70,000 as risk-off flows hit markets. Traders point to rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and the broader pull in risk assets as key drivers of the move. Reports say a note picked up by a popular media and TV firm relayed a Wells Fargo view that a seasonal surge in US tax refunds — the bank’s strategist described a sizable liquidity window — could re-route fresh cash toward risk bets, possibly supporting a rebound by the end of March. Bitcoin STH Bollingers most oversold in 8 years pic.twitter.com/tHyBv3V1Ge — Quinten | 048.eth (@QuintenFrancois) February 17, 2026 What History Can And Cannot Tell Us Looking back offers both comfort and caution. The oversold alarm flashed before a big rally after 2018, and a similar signal showed up ahead of the November 2022 trough that later produced a steep recovery. Reports note those moves unfolded against very different backdrops — money supply conditions, interest rates, and institutional involvement were not the same then as they are now. This time there are ETFs, more derivatives, and a tighter policy regime in some parts of the world. Past wins do not automatically repeat, but patterns can still guide risk-aware decisions. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation Where This Leaves Traders And Longer-Term Holders Short-term pain may still come. Volatility can remain high while markets reconcile macro news and geopolitical shocks. Yet the stretched readings among recent buyers do improve the odds that a better buying window is near for anyone with a multi-year horizon. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView
CME Group will begin offering 24/7 cryptocurrency futures and options trading on May 29 as volumes hit record highs.
A Harvard-trained astrophysicist, Stephen, believes the next major Bitcoin price rally may not happen immediately, but when it does, it could follow a clear mathematical pattern. In a recent discussion, Stephen explained that he spent much of 2025 studying whether Bitcoin would form another large bubble. “Are we going to have a bubble? How big’s …
Quantum computing has become the latest all-purpose explanation for Bitcoin’s recent drawdown, but NYDIG says the numbers don’t back the narrative. In a Feb. 17 research note, NYDIG research head Greg Cipolaro argues that “quantum fears” are loud, but not a primary driver of the sell-off when you look at search behavior, cross-asset correlations, and broader risk positioning. Quantum Panic Didn’t Sink Bitcoin NYDIG frames “Cryptographically Relevant Quantum Computers” as the theoretical endgame risk investors keep circling. The problem is that market behavior doesn’t look like a repricing of an imminent existential threat. First, Cipolaro points to Google Trends. Search interest for “quantum computing bitcoin” did rise, he wrote, but the timing matters. “Search interest for ‘quantum computing bitcoin’ has risen, but notably this occurred alongside bitcoin’s rally to new all-time highs, not ahead of sustained weakness,” the note said. “In other words, heightened searches about quantum risk coincided with price strength rather than weakness. If the market were repricing bitcoin on an imminent technological threat, we would expect search intensity to lead or amplify downside risk, not accompany a period of gains.” Related Reading: Is Jane Street Manipulating Bitcoin? The Viral Theory Explained Second, NYDIG looks at how Bitcoin traded versus publicly listed quantum computing equities, specifically IONQ, QBTS, RGTI, and QUBT. If investors were rotating out of Bitcoin because quantum advances were “catching up,” you would expect quantum-linked stocks to diverge positively as Bitcoin falls. NYDIG says it saw the opposite. Bitcoin was positively correlated with those equities, and those correlations strengthened during the drawdown, suggesting a shared driver rather than a direct quantum-to-Bitcoin causality. NYDIG’s conclusion is blunt on that point. “The data provides no evidence that quantum computing is the proximate cause of bitcoin’s weakness, even if it is the dominant risk narrative at the moment,” Cipolaro wrote. “The more plausible explanation is a broader macro repricing of risk across long-duration, expectation-driven assets. Bitcoin’s recent drawdown appears more consistent with shifts in overall risk appetite than with any discrete technological catalyst.” Related Reading: Bitcoin Bearish Momentum Losing Steam? Analyst Flags Key Metric The mechanism NYDIG highlights is familiar to anyone watching liquidity regimes. Quantum computing firms, it argues, are long-duration, expectation-driven assets with minimal revenues and high EV/revenue multiples. Bitcoin, while structurally different, often trades as a long-duration bet on future adoption and monetary dynamics. When risk appetite contracts, both can get hit together. Meanwhile, NYDIG flags a divergence in derivatives markets that, in its view, better captures the current tape than quantum headlines. The 1-month annualized basis on CME has “persistently traded above” Deribit, which NYDIG uses as a proxy for onshore US institutional positioning versus offshore positioning. Structurally higher CME basis implies US desks have remained more constructive, while the sharper decline in Deribit’s 1-month basis points to rising caution offshore and reduced appetite for leveraged long exposure. At press time, Bitcoin traded at $66,886. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Voltage launched a USD-settled Bitcoin Lightning Network revolving credit line following a $1 million institutional Lightning transaction.
Blockchain analytics platform Arkham has released a new report identifying the largest known Bitcoin (BTC) holders at the start of 2026, offering a detailed snapshot of how the cryptocurrency is distributed across individuals, corporations, governments, and financial institutions. Top Bitcoin Holders Looking across major ownership categories, Arkham’s verified on‑chain data shows that the largest individual holder remains Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Nakamoto’s wallets contain 1,096,358 BTC, valued at approximately $75 billion, representing 5.5% of the total supply. Among cryptocurrency exchanges, Coinbase ranks first. The digital asset platform holds 993,069 BTC worth roughly $68 billion, accounting for about 5% of the circulating supply. Related Reading: Macro Wobbles May Send Bitcoin Back To The $50,000s, Industry CEO Claims Binance, Robinhood, and Upbit also rank among the largest cryptocurrency exchange holders, with approximately 660,000 BTC, 184,000 BTC, and 180,000 BTC, respectively. In the US sport Bitcoin exchange‑traded fund sector (ETF), BlackRock stands out as the largest ETF issuer by Bitcoin holdings, with 761,801 BTC valued at about $52 billion, equivalent to 3.8% of supply. Asset manager and also crypto exchange-traded fund issuer Grayscale currently holds 218,000 BTC valued at around $20 billion, with all of its assets custodied by crypto exchange Coinbase. Strategy Leads Corporate BTC Race Strategy, formerly known as MicroStrategy, remains the largest public corporate holder. The company has accumulated Bitcoin steadily since August 2020, making purchases every few weeks. Its total holdings now stand at 714,644 BTC, worth approximately $54.3 billion. Of that amount, 415,230 BTC are directly confirmed on‑chain, valued at $28 billion, representing 2.1% of supply, while the broader total equates to roughly 3.5%. Other public companies are also building significant reserves. MARA, a North American Bitcoin mining firm, operates nine mining facilities and averaged 22.7 BTC mined per day in September 2025. Arkham data shows MARA controls 13,000 BTC on‑chain, valued at about $864 million, though the company reports a treasury reserve of 53,200 BTC. The Biggest Private And Government Holders Private companies also command sizable Bitcoin positions. Tether leads this group with 96,369 BTC valued at $6.5 billion, representing 0.48% of total supply. SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, holds 8,285 BTC, according to Arkham’s verified data. Additionally, the Bitcoin Treasuries website lists Block.one as the largest private corporate holder with 164,000 BTC. However, Arkham notes that Block.one’s holdings cannot be independently verified on‑chain. Related Reading: $274 Billion In Potential Bitcoin Selling Could Hit Markets, Expert Says Government holdings form another key category. Arkham’s data identifies the United States government as the largest verified state holder, with 328,372 BTC worth approximately $22 billion, representing 1.64% of the total supply. The United Arab Emirates is also emerging as a major player. Arkham identified significant mining activity in the Gulf state, with 6,800 BTC attributed to operations conducted by Citadel, a public mining firm majority‑owned by the UAE Royal Group through International Holding Company (IHC). At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at around $66,299. It registered losses of 2% and 1.2% in the 24-hour and seven-day time frames, respectively. This has prevented the token from surpassing the nearest resistance wall at $70,000. Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com
A cryptocurrency analyst has highlighted how Bitcoin has been trading inside a Triangle that could set up a 15% move for the asset. Bitcoin Is Potentially Consolidating Inside A Symmetrical Triangle In a new post on X, analyst Ali Martinez has talked about a technical analysis (TA) pattern that Bitcoin has been trading inside recently. The pattern in question is a “Triangle,” which is a type of consolidation channel that, as its name suggests, has a triangular shape. Related Reading: Bitcoin Bearish Momentum Losing Steam? Analyst Flags Key Metric The pattern is characterized by two converging trendlines. The lower of these is considered likely to be a point of support for the price, while the upper one that of resistance. A break out of either of these bounds can imply a continuation of trend in that direction. Triangles can be of a few different types based on the orientation of the trendlines with respect to each other and the graph axes. In an Ascending Triangle, the upper level is parallel to the time-axis. Similarly, the lower level being parallel creates a Descending Triangle. When both trendlines approach each other at a roughly equal and opposite slope, the pattern formed is known as a “Symmetrical Triangle.” The Triangle shared by Martinez that Bitcoin has been trading inside is the closest to this type. Below is a chart that shows the trajectory in cryptocurrency’s hourly price inside the pattern at the time of the post. As is visible in the graph, the 1-hour Bitcoin price found a bounce from the lower level of the triangular channel shortly before the post. Since then, however, BTC has seen some decline, which has taken it below the support line. This could be a potential indication that a breakout is occurring. In the post, Martinez had noted that the Triangle could set up a potential 15% move for the asset. This figure is based on the fact that Triangle breakouts are generally assumed to end up being of the same length as the height of the channel at the point where the trendlines are the furthest apart. Related Reading: Bitcoin Accumulation Notably Weaker Than Nov 2025 Bounce: Glassnode If the latest price drop indeed reflects a break out of the pattern for Bitcoin, then this 15% move could possibly follow to the downside. Symmetrical Triangles tend to have an equal probability of a breakout occurring in either direction, since there is roughly an equal bias both up and down. This time, however, it would appear that the bearish direction might be the one in store for BTC. BTC Price Bitcoin has dropped to the $66,300 mark following its drop over the past day. Featured image from Dall-E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin’s grip on the crypto market is tightening again, and the numbers behind that shift help explain why a broad basket of altcoins is unlikely to beat the top crypto. Data from CoinMarketCap indicate that Bitcoin's dominance is edging upwards towards 60% of the total crypto market capitalization. In comparison, altcoins' dominance has been trending […]
The post A $1.2T shift toward Bitcoin may be starting — and one grim index says altcoins may never rally appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Bitcoin’s (BTC) struggle to hold key price levels is raising fresh concerns across crypto markets, even as spot exchange-traded funds continue to control tens of billions of dollars in assets. Related Reading: Bitcoin May Gain If AI Job Losses Trigger Bank Stress, Hayes Says The largest cryptocurrency has fallen back below the psychologically important $70,000 mark, trading around $68,000 after weeks of steady selling pressure and weakening momentum. While institutional products still hold significant capital, analysts say the market structure shows growing downside risk rather than stability, with technical patterns, whale activity, and macroeconomic uncertainty all pointing to a fragile outlook. BTC's price trends to the downside on the daily chart. Source: BTCUSD on Tradingview Bearish Chart Signals and Whale Activity Intensify Pressure Technical indicators suggest the correction may not be finished. Market analysts highlight a developing “bear pennant” formation, a pattern that typically appears after sharp declines and often precedes another leg lower. A confirmed breakdown could push Bitcoin toward the $55,000–$60,000 range, representing roughly a 20% decline from current levels. On-chain data from CryptoQuant shows rising inflows into exchanges from large holders. The ratio tracking major transactions moving onto trading platforms recently reached elevated levels, historically associated with increased sell-side pressure. Analysts interpret this as preparation for distribution rather than accumulation. Additional data suggests the market has entered a “stress phase,” with losses mounting among newer investors while long-term holders remain profitable. Similar setups in past cycles often preceded extended consolidation or deeper corrections before recovery. Bitcoin ETFs Remain Large, But Not Necessarily Bullish Despite price weakness, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs still hold about $85 billion in assets, equivalent to more than 6% of the circulating supply. However, analysts caution that ETF resilience may not reflect strong bullish conviction. Research indicates a large portion of ETF ownership is dominated by market makers and arbitrage funds maintaining hedged positions rather than directional bets. Funds linked to asset managers such as BlackRock continue to see activity, but flows have recently turned negative, marking several consecutive weeks of net outflows. Institutional positioning is also shifting elsewhere. Filings show Harvard University reduced part of its Bitcoin ETF exposure late last year, highlighting a more cautious stance among some large investors. Macro Uncertainty And Sentiment Keep Markets On Edge Broader financial conditions are adding to pressure. Bitcoin has remained closely correlated with technology stocks and risk assets, both of which have reacted to expectations of prolonged higher interest rates. Upcoming Federal Reserve signals and economic data releases are likely to shape the short-term direction. Sentiment indicators tracked by Matrixport show extreme fear dominating markets, a condition that sometimes precedes rebounds but can also accompany late-stage corrections. Related Reading: Bitcoin Falls, But Robert Kiyosaki Says He’s ‘Excited’ And Buys More Meanwhile, corporate holders such as Strategy Inc continue accumulating Bitcoin despite volatility, underscoring a divide between long-term institutional conviction and short-term market weakness. Cover image from ChatGPT, BTCUSD chart on Tradingview
The altcoin market has faced persistent difficulties since 2024, with many assets still struggling to recover from the euphoric highs reached during the 2021 bull cycle. Despite intermittent rallies, broader momentum has remained weak, reflecting reduced speculative appetite, tighter liquidity conditions, and a gradual shift in investor preference toward more established crypto assets. This prolonged underperformance has left a large portion of the altcoin sector trading well below historical peaks, reinforcing cautious sentiment across the market. Related Reading: Is Bitcoin Supply Moving To Strong Hands? Whale Data Suggest Structural Shift A recent CryptoQuant analysis provides additional context by examining capital rotation patterns during Bitcoin’s latest corrective phase. After a sharp pullback, Bitcoin has entered a consolidation range roughly between $65,000 and $72,000, an area where significant activity from whales, long-term holders, and institutional participants appears to be concentrated. Such consolidation zones often attract strategic accumulation rather than speculative altcoin exposure. Historically, deep corrections or late-stage bear phases tend to trigger capital migration toward Bitcoin, while altcoins experience reduced inflows. Binance trading volume data — segmented into BTC, ETH, and other altcoins — highlights this dynamic clearly. As Bitcoin reclaimed levels above $60,000, a noticeable shift in volume distribution emerged, suggesting investors increasingly prioritized Bitcoin over higher-risk altcoin exposure. Bitcoin Dominance Rises As Altcoin Trading Activity Weakens Altcoin trading activity has weakened noticeably during the current corrective phase, reinforcing the broader shift toward defensive positioning within the crypto market. According to a recent analyst assessment, Bitcoin trading volumes on Binance regained dominance on February 7, accounting for roughly 36.8% of total exchange activity. This leadership has persisted since then, suggesting sustained investor preference for the relative stability and liquidity associated with Bitcoin during uncertain conditions. In comparison, altcoins represented about 35.3% of total trading volume, while Ethereum accounted for approximately 27.8%. Although these figures still reflect meaningful participation, altcoins have experienced the sharpest contraction in activity. Back in November, altcoins represented around 59.2% of Binance trading volumes, but by February 13 their share had dropped to roughly 33.6%, marking close to a 50% decline in market participation. Similar patterns have appeared during prior corrective phases, including April 2025, August 2024, and late 2022 near the end of the previous bear cycle. Periods of heightened uncertainty typically drive capital toward Bitcoin, which continues to function as the sector’s primary liquidity anchor. This recurring rotation highlights Bitcoin’s role as a perceived safer crypto asset when volatility rises and speculative appetite diminishes. Related Reading: Bitcoin Miners Pull 36K BTC From Exchanges In Weeks: What Comes Next? Altcoin Market Cap Weakens As Risk Appetite Remains Limited The total crypto market capitalization excluding the top 10 assets continues to reflect persistent weakness, highlighting the fragile state of the broader altcoin segment. After peaking near the 2025 highs, this metric entered a sustained corrective phase, with recent price action hovering around the $170–180 billion range. This zone has acted as a tentative support area, but the lack of a strong rebound suggests that risk appetite remains subdued across smaller-cap assets. Technically, the structure shows the altcoin market trading below key moving averages, indicating that momentum still favors sellers. Previous recovery attempts have repeatedly stalled near dynamic resistance, reinforcing the idea that capital rotation toward major assets — particularly Bitcoin — continues to dominate market behavior. Elevated volatility during the most recent declines also points to fragile liquidity conditions. Related Reading: Ethereum Whale Losses Mirror Past Bottoms: Accumulation Continues Despite Pressure Volume dynamics further support this cautious interpretation. Spikes in selling activity accompanied the latest pullback, suggesting distribution rather than accumulation. While stabilization appears to be developing in the short term, there is limited evidence of sustained inflows returning to altcoins. Historically, similar configurations have often preceded prolonged consolidation phases rather than immediate recoveries. Unless broader market liquidity improves or Bitcoin dominance weakens, the altcoin market may remain structurally constrained despite occasional short-term rebounds. Featured image from ChatGPT, chart from TradingView.com
Arizona moved closer this week to setting up a public reserve of cryptocurrency after lawmakers pushed a bill forward that names XRP among the tokens that could be held. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation The push came after a committee vote that cleared one of the early hurdles for Senate Bill SB1649, and the mention of XRP has already drawn attention from traders and public officials who track crypto policy. Committee Vote Moves Bill Forward According to reports, the measure won a 4–2 vote on February 16 and now heads toward the next steps in the chamber where it started. The vote came in a session run by the Arizona Senate Finance Committee, which backed language allowing the state treasurer to hold, custody, and invest digital assets that end up in state hands. Reports note the measure would cover coins seized in law enforcement actions or surrendered to the state, and it would authorize modern custody options and regulated exchange-traded vehicles for safekeeping. What The Fund Would Hold The plan is straightforward on paper: create a fund, transfer qualifying assets into a managed reserve, and let officials use advanced custody tools to manage risk. Reports say XRP is on the list of eligible assets. That inclusion puts a spotlight on a token that has faced regulatory uncertainty in the past but also has a vocal group of supporters who argue it has a use case in cross-border payments. Some people see the move as a step toward routine public-sector dealings with cryptocurrencies; other observers warn it could raise legal, accounting, and operational questions that are not yet fully answered. Market And Policy Reactions Traders reacted with a mix of caution and optimism. A handful of market watchers noted that any state-level acceptance of a specific token can nudge sentiment, even if the actual impact on supply and demand is limited. Legal experts will likely scrutinize the bill’s text closely if it advances, especially around custody rules and how the fund values and reports holdings. There are also practical matters: who will audit these assets, how will they be insured, and what governance rules will guide when and how the fund can buy, sell, or hold tokens. Related Reading: Bitcoin Falls, But Robert Kiyosaki Says He’s ‘Excited’ And Buys More XRP Price Action At the time of writing, XRP was trading at $1.46, up 0.7% and 6.7% in the daily and weekly frames. Featured image from Gemini, chart from TradingView
Bitcoin investors hoping for a familiar macro rescue may be reading the room wrong. In an interview with Coin Stories host Nathalie Brunell, macro analyst Lyn Alden argued that the next policy turn is more likely to resemble a slow balance-sheet creep than the kind of “nuclear print” that has historically juiced risk assets, leaving bitcoin to compete largely on its own fundamentals and narrative pull. Alden framed the current cycle as unusually underwhelming, not just in price terms but in participation. She noted that sentiment “is worse than 2022,” and attributed the malaise to a missing retail bid, a lack of “alt season,” and a broader crypto market that “kind of run out of narratives.” Bitcoin, she said, topped out at $126,000, below her own bar for a satisfying cycle. “Sometimes they give their time frames so we can just see if it hits that time frame or not,” Alden said, pushing back on the reflexive call that every drawdown forces the Fed’s hand. “Every kind of down tick in stocks or every kind of down tick they say well the […] we’re going to have to print soon. But really the Fed only cares mainly about the liquidity of the treasury market and the interbank lending market […] even stocks going down 10, 20, 30% is not really going to be a catalyst.” Related Reading: Is Jane Street Manipulating Bitcoin? The Viral Theory Explained Brunell pointed to comments she said came from Fed Chair Jerome Powell about “slowly” expanding the balance sheet, with purchases starting around $40 billion in short-end Treasury bills, far from the trillions some bitcoin bulls anchor on. Alden’s response was blunt: the plumbing doesn’t demand a shock-and-awe response right now. “Mainly because the conditions are not such that they would need a big print in the near future,” she said. “There are scenarios that can absolutely result in a big print or a nuclear print […] but when you kind of run the numbers of how much debt is coming out, how levered or unlevered banks are, they just don’t really need a lot of printing. A little printing gets them a long way.” In Alden’s telling, QE1-scale interventions were tied to a very specific setup: an overlevered banking system with low cash ratios and acute private-sector balance sheet stress. Today, she argued, bank cash ratios are “still pretty high,” and absent a COVID-scale disruption or an escalation in war or “financial war”, the base case is incrementalism. Bitcoin Still Has To Win Attention That matters because, in Alden’s framework, gradual balance-sheet expansion is supportive but not decisive for bitcoin. The era where “micro doesn’t matter at all” is reserved for true emergency stimulus and she doesn’t see that as the near-term setup. “Not a ton, I think,” Alden said when asked what gradual QE means for bitcoin. “It’s supportive […] but Bitcoin still has to compete on its own merits for investor attention. So, you know, basically it has to compete with Nvidia […] with everything out there that people can own.” Related Reading: Bitcoin Capitulation Or Buy Zone? What On-Chain Data Shows Right Now She tied the muted cycle to “mediocre” topline demand and a capital-market landscape where AI-linked equities and even precious metals have offered competition for mindshare. Sovereigns “didn’t really show up,” she said, and retail largely stayed sidelined, leaving “the corporate institutional side” and higher-net-worth brokerage buyers, aided by ETFs, as the main marginal bid. Alden also downplayed the idea that derivatives and ETFs are the chief culprit behind a capped upside, even if they can “inflate” synthetic supply for a time. The bigger issue, she argued, is simply that the demand impulse hasn’t been strong enough to overwhelm a now-larger, more liquid market. Looking forward, Alden expects bottoms to form as “fast money gets out” and coins rotate to “strongly held hands,” with price more likely to grind than V-recover. On the upside, she pointed to a potential setup where AI trades eventually peak, bitcoin sits “cheap for a while” in tight hands, and only “a marginal amount of new demand” is needed to restart reflexivity, possibly alongside continued buying from bitcoin treasury companies. For now, her core warning is that this cycle may not be saved by policy theatrics. If bitcoin is going to reassert itself, Alden suggested, it will be less about waiting for a macro bailout and more about whether enough investors still want “self-custodial […] undebasable savings,” even when other assets are stealing the spotlight. At press time, Bitcoin traded at $67,556. Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com
Bitcoin sits on edge again, trading below the critical $68,000 level after a volatile stretch that erased around 28% from its price in about a month. Prices are swinging hard, and that swing has pushed smart-money talk and wild bets into the same room. Related Reading: Bitcoin Should Be Flying—Instead, Quantum Risk Keeps It Grounded: Analyst Experts Offer Starkly Different Paths According to some investors, a deep bargain is forming. Andrew Parish, a serial entrepreneur and outspoken Bitcoin proponent, argues that mood matters — when retail traders turn gloomy, big buyers can step in and lift markets fast. He put a bold target on the table: $500,000 within a few years if flows and sentiment flip. Ric Edelman, a veteran investor, has a similar headline number but with a slower clock; his math rests on broad wealth moving a tiny slice into crypto over time. Both views hinge on steady inflows and more investors taking small positions in crypto. GM. Bitcoin sub $70K is a gift. Buy more. In three years $BTC will trade above $500K. — Andrew (@AP_Abacus) February 16, 2026 A Bear Case That Cuts Deep On the other side, the warning is loud and clear. Bloomberg macro strategist Mike McGlone has painted a much darker path, saying an 85% drop could be possible and that $10,000 should not be dismissed. Legendary Investor Ric Edelman: “I believe #bitcoin can reach $500,000 by 2030.” ???? pic.twitter.com/XNQFTbuA69 — Altcoin Daily (@AltcoinDaily) February 16, 2026 He points to stronger stock markets, lower market swings, and fading political tailwinds tied to US President Donald Trump as reasons capital might stay away from risky bets. Markets can be moved by big shifts in where money chooses to sit, and moments like this can put a damper on optimism quickly. Collapsing Bitcoin/Cryptos May Guide the Next Recession – “Healthy Correction” is what we should hear soon from stock market analysts (who risk unemployment if not onboard), following collapsing cryptos. The buy the dips mantra since 2008 may be over, here’s why: – US stock… pic.twitter.com/fPPc2fV3EU — Mike McGlone (@mikemcglone11) February 15, 2026 Flows And Sentiment Matter Reports note that exchange-traded funds saw heavy withdrawals recently. On-chain readings flagged hundreds of millions in outflows in a short window. A separate fear-and-greed meter cratered to very low readings, signaling panic among small traders. Those two facts together help explain why price fell so sharply; when many try to leave, price can slip faster than logic expects. That said, outflows can also clear the way for a different type of buyer to move in later. Related Reading: What Bitcoin Rout? Michael Saylor Unfazed, Teases New Accumulation On Institutional Behavior & Lofty Price Targets Meanwhile, institutional behavior will be the key variable. Large managers could buy when retail is jittery, and some market watchers point to companies that have built crypto desks as potential demand anchors. Despite the uncertainty, the $500,000 mark remains the headline grabber for bullish investors. Parish’s call captures attention because it ties sentiment swings to potential market moves, while Edelman’s projections underline how even modest allocations from global wealth could push Bitcoin higher over time. Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView